Tree Care Blog

EMERALD ASH BORER DISCOVERED IN WARRINGTON, PENNSYLVANIA

The dreaded insect known as the Emerald Ash Borer is now officially in our neighborhood.
We have been following the spread of this pest since 2002, as it
has moved through Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois,
Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, Pennsylvania, West Virginia,
Missouri, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Kentucky, and New York. Over the
past 10 years over 50 million Ash trees have been lost, either cut
down or killed by the insect.
Now it is officially in our neighborhood.
Warrington, Pennsylvania is approximately
15 miles outside of Philadelphia and it is very
likely that the insect is in other suburbs of
Philadelphia as well.
We are recommending that all Ash trees
worth saving be treated with a systemic
insecticide immediately.

The Ash Borer kills trees by drilling into the
trunk and tunneling around between the bark
and cambium. This tunneling girdles the tree
and kills it quickly. The borer moves fast and
Mature Ash tree.
comes in large numbers.
It does not make sense to wait until the damage is visible before
treating a tree. Once a tree is infected, we can kill these insects
immediately, but it will often be too late to save the tree.
There are many things to consider when deciding whether or not
to treat your Ash trees preventatively for Emerald Ash Borer. Because
the insect will be around for a long time, yearly treatments will prob-
ably be necessary. However, the cost of these treatments will be sig-
nificantly less than the cost to remove dead trees on your property,
not to mention the cost of planting replacement trees.

Ash are native to our area and the Eastern United States. At matu-
rity they reach heights of 60 to 70 feet tall. They are beautiful, full-
canopied trees that are essential parts of landscapes on many proper-
ties in Philadelphia, and the surrounding suburbs.
If you have Ash trees on your property, it is very likely that your
McFarland Arborist has already identified them and begun the neces-
sary treatments. If, however, you feel we may have missed a tree, or
you have not yet given us permission to treat them, please call us
immediately to have your Arborist review the situation with you.
We can save these trees, but it is essential that we begin treatments
now to guarantee that the insecticide is present in the tree when the
borer arrives and begins feeding. (More on page 3)